Upset of Pats will require all the fire Texans can muster

Antonio Smith (94) says the Texans must "burn the ship" to beat the Pats. Pressure like this on Andrew Luck wouldn't hurt.

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Staff

The Texans have a surprise in store for the New England Patriots. They are going to show up Sunday in Foxborough.

They have their flight and hotel arrangements. They have even begun to think about packing.

"It's not too early,'' safety Glover Quin said minutes after Saturday's 19-13 victory over Cincinnati at Reliant Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.

"Why is it too early? We already know who we are playing. We know when we play. So let's go.''

They should leave behind the letter jackets, which the Patriots called cute the last time they met a month ago at Gillette Stadium.

Cute doesn't beat the Patriots. The Texans learned that in the 42-14 loss.

What does beat the Patriots?

"Burn the ship,'' defensive end Antonio Smith said.

I'm not sure what that means in terms of football strategy, although knowing Patriots coach Bill Belichick, he will stay up nights devising plans to protect the ship. But to a man, the Texans vowed Saturday they are taking matches to the rematch.

Asked when he knew he was ready to meet the Patriots again, wide receiver Kevin Walter said: "Right when we left there last time, we wanted to play those guys again.''

McNair lauds intensity

Really?

As I recall, the Texans were hearing their mommas calling about the time the Patriots rolled up a 28-0 lead.

But the Texans insist this time will be different.

Even owner Bob McNair is acting as if he's ready to strap on the pads.

"We're playing with a lot of intensity right now, and we weren't playing with a lot of intensity back then,'' he said. "In this game, intensity means a lot.''

Or as wide receiver Andre Johnson more eloquently put it: "Last time we went up there, we didn't put on a good show. Actually, they gave us a real good butt whupping. But we'll be ready.''

In other headlines:

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Custer returns to Little Big Horn with more intensity

Dinosaurs prepared now for meteor showers

Christina Aguilera remembers words, promises flawless national anthem

Sooners say Manziel can run but not hide, vow to catch him next time

Oh, me of little faith.

A decided underdog

I am not the only one. Oddsmakers, who favored the Patriots by six before the Dec. 10 Monday night game, have increased the line to as much as 91/2 this time.

That is more charitable, not a word often used in connection with oddsmakers, than the 30 the Texans actually lost by last month.

I'd take the Texans and 30.

Actually, the Texans' chances aren't as hopeless as you are going to hear they are from the media, national and local, this week.

So much so that nose tackle Shaun Cody has already started tuning it out.

"I got my alternative rock on this week,'' he said.

But he should listen to this because it is what coach Gary Kubiak will be telling him and his teammates this week.

All the Texans have to do to win is what they were doing in their first five games, in which they went 5-0 and outscored opponents by 76 points, and not what they've been doing in their last five games, in which they went 2-3 and were outscored by 39.

Can't settle for FGs

"When we play New England, we're going to have to score touchdowns and not kick field goals like that,'' said fullback James Casey, referring to the three offensive touchdowns and 14 field goals the Texans have kicked in the last four games.

"You can't win a lot of games like that, and you can't just hope your defense is going to shut people down. New England has a great offense, and we know we have to score touchdowns.''

Can they do that against the Patriots?

"I feel like, personally, we didn't make as many plays as we had,'' Casey said. "We had guys open who could have made plays, and for whatever reason, we just weren't getting those big plays that we needed.''

So that's what it will take to beat the Patriots:

1. Be intense.

2. Make plays.

3. Score touchdowns.

4. Burn the ship.

If none of that works, there's always next season. And alternative rock.

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